During the early days of World War II, many young men eagerly volunteered to serve in the Canadian Military. For many, their first choice was the Air Force over the Army and Navy. The RCAF had an enticing and visible presence through posters in schools, newspapers, and advertisements. The BCATP had a growing footprint with facilities in many small towns across the country. Many applicants shared the romantic dream of soaring through the skies, flying the world’s latest fighter planes, and engaging in dramatic combat against the enemy. 

The greatest challenge the fledgling BCATP faced was directing the multitude of eager recruits towards a training stream that matched their physical skills and ability to learn. The Program had to impart strict discipline and high standards without hampering a trainee's enthusiasm or resolution.  There was a lot to learn to control a powerful aircraft and conduct complex, high-risk missions. Recruits need to master the reflexes, knowledge, and foresight that will protect their lives and the lives of fellow aircrew.

Recruiting Offices
Canada relied primarily on voluntary enlistment. In addition to advertising many recruiting offices were established to facilitate the enlistment of volunteers.

Manning Depots
Training starts at one of the five Manning Depots, located in Toronto, Brandon, Edmonton, Quebec City and Lachine. Recruits familiarize themselves with military discipline and with the basics of aviation: regulations, history, and navigation. Between courses they go through endless drills and weapon-handling exercises, with the Lee-Enfield rifle for instance. Manning depots also provide some language training for those who do not speak English well enough, in those days the only language used in the Canadian Armed Forces. English is also a necessity because airmen may be called to serve in Britain, where they may also have to decipher the cockney accent of air controllers! Upon leaving the manning depot, trainees become “aircraftsmen 2”. They are then directed towards a BCATP training school for airmen or towards a training camp for ground personnel.

Trainees began their military careers at a Manning Depot[ where they learned to bathe, shave, shine boots, polish buttons, maintain their uniforms, and otherwise behave in the required manner. There were two hours of physical education every day and instruction in marching, rifle drill, foot drill, saluting, and other routines.

Remedial high school education was offered to bring 17- and 18-year-old trainees up to the RCAF academic level. There was also a standard aptitude test: the RCAF Classification Test.

After four or five weeks, a selection committee decided whether the trainee would be placed in the aircrew or groundcrew stream. Aircrew "Wireless Air Gunner" candidates went directly to a Wireless School. "Air Observer" and "Pilot" aircrew candidates went to an Initial Training School.

Trainees were often assigned "tarmac duty" to keep busy. Some were sent to factories to count nuts and bolts; others were sent to flying schools and other RCAF facilities to guard things, clean things, paint things, and polish things. Tarmac duty could last several months or more.

The No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto was the Coliseum Building on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, which accommodated up to 5,000 personnel. 

Initial Training Schools (ITS)
Trainees start Initial Training School (ITS), well aware that at the end of the ten-week process some of them will be selected to become pilots – those may still dream of glorious deeds – or to be trained as navigators, bombers, wireless operators or gunners, essential jobs but lacking in prestige. Their performance on a thankless machine, the Link Trainer, will decide. This flight simulator, while solidly anchored to the ground, reproduces the flying experience in order to assess the pilot skills of a recruit; it is also used to teach air navigation. Throughout the ten-week training period, recruits also study navigation, flight techniques, mechanical engineering, mathematics, telegraphy, and friend-or-foe airplane recognition. Candidates who get top grades, especially in mathematics, are usually selected to become navigators or air observers.

With changes brought to the programme in 1942 and 1943, the Link Trainer is used earlier in the process, as soon as the manning depot. In addition, the preliminary training of wireless operators and gunners is reduced to place focus on specialized training and, starting in 1942, they are no longer required to go through Initial Training Schools.

Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS)
Pilot and Air Observer candidates began their 26- or 28-week training program with four weeks at an Initial Training School (ITS).[2][13] They studied theoretical subjects and were subjected to a variety of tests. Theoretical studies included navigation, theory of flight, meteorology, duties of an officer, air force administration, algebra, and trigonometry. Tests included an interview with a psychiatrist, the 4 hour long M2 physical examination, a session in a decompression chamber, and a "test flight" in a Link Trainer as well as academics. At the end of the course the postings were announced. Occasionally candidates were re-routed to the Wireless Air Gunner stream at the end of ITS. 

Candidates selected for pilot training are sent to one of the 30 Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS) throughout Canada. This is their big day: they will fly soon! EFTS are civilian schools placed under military administration. Most of them have been established under the sponsorship of local flying clubs and flying courses are given by civilian instructors.

The future pilot trains at first on a Fleet Finch, a biplane with two cockpits one behind the other, painted bright yellow and bearing the RCAF blue, white and red roundel. During his eight-week training period, he must complete at least 50 hours of flight, half of them flying solo. After eight hours of flight with his instructor, he must be ready for his first solo flight. In addition to common manoeuvres, such as taking off, horizontal flight, approach with engine on or off, etc., trainees also familiarize themselves with aerial acrobatics. An extremely stable aircraft, the Fleet Finch is wonderfully adapted to training and to stunt flying. Starting in 1943, it is gradually replaced by the Fairchild Cornell, a plane closer to a modern military aircraft.

On the ground, after 180 hours of flight, future pilots have gained in-depth knowledge of aircraft engines and airframes, of flight theory, of navigation, of signalling and weapons. With the RAF putting increased emphasis on night bombing missions, additional courses are added in 1942 dealing with navigation, instrument flying and friend-or-foe aircraft recognition. Machine-gun training is also part of the curriculum.

Service Flying Training Schools (SFTS)
Fighter Pilots
Pilots who successfully go through EFTS training are then assigned to a Service Flying Training School (SFTS). The schools located in Eastern Canada train fighter pilots and rely mostly on the North American Harvard. Flying an aircraft as powerful as a Harvard, that can reach 290 km/h, is an exhilarating experience for young pilots and many cannot resist skimming or trying out dangerous acrobatics, only to show off to their buddies. Even if military regulations prohibit such demonstrations, authorities are often lenient, as this may be the best way for a pilot to learn how to fight and escape desperate situations.

Bomber Pilots 
Bomber pilots, for their part, are sent to western flying schools. Training is mostly on the twin-engine Avro Anson, nicknamed “Faithful Annie” on account of its reliability and steadiness. Bomber pilot training emphasizes professionalism and precision flying.

During the BCATP’s first year, military flying training is a ten-week course. But some weaknesses were identified in the training of the earlier graduates posted to Great Britain and the course was expanded to 16 weeks. To successfully complete this programme, trainees must achieve 100 hours of flight, 40 of them solo. When trainees graduate, they receive the two-wing pilot badge and are promoted to sergeant. About one third will eventually reach an officer rank.

Air Observers and Navigators (AOS)
The 1940 programme included training “air observers”, a position that combined the functions of navigator and bomber. Air observers also received training in weapons, so they may help in defending the plane. As crews on heavy bombers became more specialized, air observers as such were replaced by separate navigators and bombers. The need for less-specialized personnel such as navigators-bombers (called “navigators B”) or navigators-wireless operators (or “navigators W”) was met by different combinations of courses.

Air Observer Schools (AOS) train air observers – and starting in 1942 navigators as well – in the skills required by their functions. The course, which had a duration of 12 weeks in 1940, was expanded to 18 weeks in June 1942; it is followed by a 6-week stay at a Bombing and Gunnery School. The navigator or bomber in training must complete at least 23 hours of flight during which he practices bombing techniques, by dropping 80 bombs at an average distance of 120 yards (110 m) from the target. When they graduate, trainees receive the one-wing badge of air observers, navigators or bombers and are promoted to sergeant.

Wireless Operators and Air Gunners 
Starting in 1942, Wireless Schools provide a 28-week training programme; this is basically a theoretical technical training, later completed by a few hours of flying. Wireless operators / gunners then move on a to a six-week course at a Bombing and Gunnery School where they learn to operate machine-guns and hydraulic turrets. Training planes are usually Anson or Fairey Battle, both equipped with Vickers or Lewis .303-calibre machine-guns.

Flight Engineers
Unknown in 1939, the flight engineer position was created to serve on heavy bombers, as a replacement for second pilots. Their job was to ensure that the engines and other on-board systems worked properly. The BCATP had only one school for flight engineers, located in Aylmer, Ontario. It opened on July 1st, 1944; a 7-week specialized programme in Great Britain completed the 23-week training.

Operational Training Units (OTU)
As each training session draws to its conclusion, trainees take part in the traditional group photograph and pilots receive their badges at the wing parade. They are not yet ready to fly and fight: they have theoretical knowledge but little experience. Certified airmen are directed towards Operational Training Units (OTU) where they will familiarize themselves with the planes they will actually fly on their missions. Six OTUs are located in Canada but most are attached to RAF air bases in Great Britain.

In the end, very few BCATP graduates will see their dream of daring deeds come true. Instead they will carry on a demanding task, one that requires competence, know-how and courage. In their flying machines, they will face danger, fear, boredom even, and sometimes death.